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Unusual Jeffries Duet


gcoover

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This 59-button Jeffries Brothers Duet should probably be called a 59-1/2 button duet since the air valve button on the right side is actually a factory-original diatonic button playing C/C#. 

 

Since all duets (Maccann, Crane/Triumph, Jeffries, Hayden, etc.) play the same note pushing or pulling, just wondering if anyone has ever come across one with any added diatonic notes?

 

I did the math, and that makes this one 1.7% Anglo!

 

 

Gary

JD59.jpg

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It's twinned with the middle C in the middle of the left side, plus the C# just above. It's driving me a little crazy since I'm used to that button providing air for better bellows changes. At least the other buttons are identical to my JD50 except for two outliers I don't use much anyway. The 8 extra buttons are 4 deeper bass notes and 4 more overlap, plus that one weird C/C#.

 

Gary

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The Wakker H2 and W2 (65-key Hayden and Wicky, respectively, the only difference being the slanted rows in the Hayden vs. the parallel rows in the Wicky) are unisonoric duet concertinas with one bisonoric button (Eb3/F3, at lower left on right hand side).

 

keyboard%20layout%20H2.jpg

Edited by David Barnert
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12 hours ago, gcoover said:

It's twinned with the middle C in the middle of the left side, plus the C# just above. It's driving me a little crazy since I'm used to that button providing air for better bellows changes. At least the other buttons are identical to my JD50 except for two outliers I don't use much anyway. The 8 extra buttons are 4 deeper bass notes and 4 more overlap, plus that one weird C/C#.

 

Gary

That's interesting.  I've been eyeing up the air buttons on both mine for some low notes, an F#/G# would make the larger box chromatic from the low F while an F/Bb would give some bottom to the 50 button in those(easier) keys.  I don't use the air button while playing but I agree with co-opting a squeeker.  From all the variations we've looked at it seems that outside the core key pattern lots of customizing was going on.

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17 hours ago, alex_holden said:

I built a Crane duet for @Little John with a few bisonoric buttons and will be making another soon.

 

For many years I've had my Cranes adapted so that up to four of the lowest accidental buttons (up to two on each side) are bisonoric. The aim is to extend the range downwards. The adaptations have been successful, but Holden no.4 was designed from the outset for these low reeds. Specifically,

C#3 on the LHS is Bb2/B2 (Bb is good for songs, B2 is just really useful),

Eb3 on the LHS is Eb3/A2, and

C#4 on the RHS is C#4/B3 (a surprising number of tunes seem to need B3).

 

Because it's tuned 5th comma MT, Eb4 on the RHS is Eb4/D#4.

 

Holden no.10 will have G2/B2 instead of C#3 (LHS) and D#4/A2 instead of D# on the RHS. The other two bisonoric buttons will be the same. Both of these adaptations I've had or still have on my Dipper Crane.

 

For another example Steve Turner's Wheatstone English (treble/bass?) has five bisonoric buttons to extend the range downward. Four on one side and one on the other. I couldn't quite fathom the logic when I tried it, but it seems to have been built that way.

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